In late January, the U.S. Secret Service, in collaboration with various law enforcement and government agencies, launched a multi-city outreach operation to address Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) fraud and payment card skimming. The initiative took place in Cleveland, Cincinnati, Seattle, and Denver.
During these operations, teams distributed educational materials to businesses to help them recognize signs of illegal skimming devices on ATMs, gas pumps, and point-of-sale terminals.
“This operation was an interagency win. The U.S. Secret Service, and our law enforcement and interagency partners, will not stand by idly while fraudsters prey on vulnerable communities using illegal card skimmers to commit EBT fraud,” said U.S. Secret Service Deputy Director Matthew Quinn. “This effort demonstrates why a proactive approach to cyber-enabled financial fraud is necessary. By educating businesses, identifying skimming devices, and removing them before valuable data falls into the hands of criminals, we deny their ability to steal benefits from those that need it most.”
The outreach is part of ongoing efforts by the Secret Service since April 2024. In 2025 alone, more than 400 illegal skimming devices were removed during similar operations nationwide. These actions are estimated to have prevented over $428 million in potential fraud losses.
City-specific results include:
- In Cleveland on January 21st, personnel visited 247 businesses and removed six illegal skimming devices after inspecting more than 1,580 terminals. This action prevented an estimated loss of nearly $6.25 million.
- In Cincinnati on January 23rd, teams visited 255 businesses and inspected over 1,500 terminals but did not find any skimming devices.
- In Seattle between January 27th and 28th, staff visited 532 businesses and removed 14 illegal devices after inspecting more than 2,770 terminals—preventing over $14.5 million in potential losses.
- In Denver on January 30th, personnel visited 362 businesses and found and removed 19 illegal skimmers among more than 2,700 inspected terminals; this stopped nearly $19.79 million in estimated losses.
Criminals use illegal skimming technology installed on payment terminals to capture card information from EBT cards for fraudulent purposes such as encoding data onto other magnetic strip cards.
Authorities report a nationwide increase in EBT-targeted skimming incidents as scammers time their activities around monthly government assistance deposits meant for families’ essential needs.
Consumers are advised to inspect card readers for signs of tampering or unusual features before use; opt for tap-to-pay or chip-enabled cards when possible; shield PIN entries at gas stations or ATMs; prefer well-lit indoor machines; and remain vigilant especially in tourist areas where such crimes are common.
